High School

Wilson: Minus practice, Chiefs pick up a league title BY RICK WILSON REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

Don't start thinking that practice is going the way of the dinosaur. But Nonnewaug sure put a dent in the idea that practice makes perfect Thursday afternoon.

The Chiefs hadn't practiced or played or gone to school for that matter, since last Friday. Thank you very much, Hurricane Sandy. That's not usually the best preparation for a game with championship implications.

Timing off? No. Team a little out of sync? Not in the least. The end result? A share of the Berkshire League field hockey title insured for the third straight year, and one giant step toward calling the title its own with a convincing 2-1 victory over Thomaston.

The Chiefs (11-1-1 BL, 13-1-1 overall) can clinch the title outright today with a win or tie against Shepaug in a game to be played at Litchfield's Plumb Hill Complex.

A loss and Thomaston (11-2-1 BL, 12-2-1 overall) can grab a share of the crown.

Chiefs coach Kathy Brenner had no idea what to expect here but she sure liked what she ended up getting from her team.

"I had no idea what team was going to show up," admitted Brenner. "I asked them what they have been doing. Were they laying around? But the girls wanted it too much."

Maybe the Chiefs were saving it all up for the field because their play was superb.

And there were more than a few side issues here to add a little drama to an already big game. Thomaston had won seven straight and was looking for its first outright title.

Brenner had seen the Bears dismantle Shepaug on Sunday, 3-0, with a powerful performance. Meanwhile the Chiefs wanted to defend.

Thomaston, in the midst of one of its finest seasons ever, had defeated the Chiefs two weeks earlier on a disputed goal that had the Chiefs seeing all sorts of red and purple. There was a healthy competitiveness above two talented teams playing.

And then there was Sandy. It all added an air of mystery that Nonnewaug cleared up. This was a no-doubter. Well, for 58 minutes anyway.

Thomaston put on a fearsome surge in the last two minutes, but the rest of the game belonged to the Chiefs.

Nonnewaug outshot the Bears, 9-2, and posted a 10-3 edge in corner hits.

Thomaston goalie Nicole Petruzzi was kept busy having to come up with seven saves.

The Chiefs struck first when multi-talented Alexa Brazauskas took a ball off a corner hit and rifled a shot into the right corner of the goal at the 17:28 mark in the first half.

Brazauskas, who still doesn't have power in her home, admitted the first goal gave the team confidence, and the Chiefs fed off it.

The deciding goal came in the second half when Anna Drakeley found an opening on the left side of the scoring circle and pounded a shot into the goal for a 2-0 lead with 12:48 remaining in the game.

"We put (the first game) behind us and were intense and strong on offense and defense" said Brazauskas. "We wanted to catch them on their heels and be the first to the ball."

The Bears have been a plucky bunch all season and nearly made it a nightmare ending for the Chiefs.

They found the offensive switch in the final two minutes and, after being unable to pressure the Nonnewaug goal throughout the game, finally broke through when Rhianon Mecca punched one in from in front of the goal with 1:10 left.

Suddenly there was a lot of Nonnewaug sweat around.

The Bears continued to pressure and the game ended on a corner hit. Abby Hurlbert got off a shot that was wide but a Thomaston player appeared to redirect it into the post as the game ended.

"I think Thomaston realized how big a game it was," said Brenner. "They took Abby (Hurlbert) out and Brooke (Thomaston coach Brooke Holway) asked her if she was ready to play, and when she went back in it was like they wanted it more than we did."

Two minutes could not beat 58 minutes, however.

Holway would not comment after the game, but clearly it was a difficult loss for her team, which has set a school record for victories in a season.

The Chiefs have no time to practice for Shepaug, but heck, after this one, practice may be passe anyway.

"From the day we walked off the field (after the Thomaston loss) we knew we had to beat them," said Brenner. "We said we're not giving this up. This is ours. Thomaston is a fantastic team, it goes back to (us) wanting it."

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